Reports and Legal Opinion Papers

This report addresses the protection gaps and rights violations faced by separated minor refugees in Türkiye, with a focus on their living conditions, legal status, and access to services. It reveals that unaccompanied and separated children often encounter significant barriers to registration, guardianship, shelter, education, and legal assistance. The publication emphasizes the urgent need for child-sensitive procedures, stronger institutional coordination, and compliance with international child protection standards to safeguard the rights and well-being of this particularly vulnerable group.

This report critically examines the use of administrative detention for refugees in Türkiye’s so-called “foreigners’ guesthouses,” highlighting the legal and human rights concerns associated with these practices. It identifies key issues such as arbitrary detention decisions, lack of effective judicial oversight, prolonged detention periods, and inadequate living conditions. The publication argues that current practices often violate international standards and underscores the need to ensure that detention is used only as a last resort, with full respect for legal safeguards and the dignity of those affected.

This report evaluates whether UNHCR Türkiye’s mandate Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures align with the organization’s own procedural standards. It identifies gaps in key areas such as access to information, transparency in decision-making, timely case processing, and the right to appeal. The publication highlights discrepancies between policy and practice, raising concerns about the procedural fairness and accountability of the mandate RSD system. It offers targeted recommendations to enhance compliance with UNHCR’s global standards and to strengthen the protection of asylum seekers under its mandate in Türkiye.